Cannabis Section

Responding to the needs of lawyers in California and across the country, the Board of Trustees for the Los Angeles County Bar Association (LACBA) has approved a new law practice section specifically focused on cannabis, one of the fastest growing industries in the world. With California being a leader in the rapidly evolving cannabis industry, having the biggest legal market in the world, and many well-known players operating in the state, attorneys are increasingly playing a huge role in the creation and proliferation of cannabis companies, as well as aligning as trusted advisors in the protection of cannabis businesses. The industry is not without fraught as marijuana use is still federally illegal and lawyers assist cannabis players walk the fragile tightrope.

“The Cannabis Industry is booming, perhaps like the next Gold Rush. LACBA must provide its over 15,000 members with a practice group on the cutting edge of the law. Los Angeles already has countless business practices directly and indirectly involved with cannabis opportunities. The creation of the Cannabis Section within LACBA meets a current need, and provides an important and necessary space for the many types of lawyers who provide legal services to this industry," said Ronald F. Brot, President of the Los Angeles County Bar Association.

Several LACBA member firms practice in the cannabis space making the creation of this law practice section a logical next step. “It is an exciting time in the legal cannabis industry. Things move fast and it can be hard to stay on top of all the developments. One month in this industry is like a year in other industries,” said Josh Mandell of Akerman LLP. Josh, along with Arial Clark, Alex Freedman, and Taylor Wagniere are the founding members of the section. LACBA was founded in 1878 and is one of the largest voluntary metropolitan bar associations in the country, with more than 15,000 members.

For questions about this new section, please email Joshua Mandell at joshua.mandell@akerman.com.